The 46 housing units will be located in the 45000-block of
Trethewey Ave

south of the railroad crossing.

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SATURDAY—AUGUST—4—2018

ore people experiencing homelessness in Chilliwack
will have the chance for stable housing through
another proposed modular housing partnership between
the Government of British Columbia and the city.

Funded under the Building BC: Rapid Response to
Homelessness program, 46 homes with supports and
services are proposed on the 45000 block of
Trethewey Avenue.

“Like many communities in the province, the
City of Chilliwack is working with our
government to address a housing crisis that
is negatively impacting people in the
community,” said Selina Robinson, Minister
of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “These
homes offer the relief people need in order
to stabilize, address health issues and
regain self-sufficiency.”

RainCity
Housing has been selected to operate the 46-unit
building and provide 24/7 support to tenants.
Residents will have their own private units and will
be offered services, including life and employment
skills training, health and wellness support
services, meal programs and opportunities for
volunteer work.

“I would like to thank the Province for the
important work they are doing to address the
need for supportive housing in our
community. Chilliwack City Council has
consistently advocated for increased
services for our vulnerable populations, and
we are grateful that BC Housing is providing
safe places with wraparound services to
those who need them most,” said Sharon Gaetz,
mayor, City of Chilliwack.

Fraser Health will provide additional support to
tenants at the Trethewey Avenue modular housing site
through the services of the Chilliwack Intensive
Case Management (ICM) team. The team will be located
at, and will also support, the previously announced
45944 Yale Rd. modular housing site. Team members
include medical clinicians, Indigenous cultural
liaisons, nurses, peer service specialists and
community-support workers.

“Working
closely with our community partners, the
goal of our ICM teams is to provide people
who have severe substance use disorders with
the support they need to stabilize their
lives. A connection to stable housing is the
crucial first step. From there, the ICM team
works with these vulnerable individuals to
establish therapeutic relationships and to
link them to a broader network of health
services," said Dr. Victoria
Lee, vice-president for population health,
Fraser Health.

The site requires a rezoning process. BC Housing and
project partners will host a public open house on
Sept. 11, 2018, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the
Chilliwack Alliance Church, 8700 Young Rd.

If approved, construction is expected to begin in
fall 2018, and tenants would be able to move in by
spring 2019.

“We look
forward to offering safe secure housing,
support services, meals and a healthier
environment to people who have been homeless
in this community for some time. Many of
these individuals will have experienced
trauma, discrimination and have had very
little access to needed services, so we will
be working alongside each person and with
the larger community,”
Catharine
Hume, co-executive director,
RainCity Housing.

This would be the second modular housing project in
Chilliwack and marks the final Rapid Response to
Homelessness site in B.C. The Province launched the
Building BC: Rapid Response program in fall 2017
with a commitment to build 2,000 homes for people
and communities in need.

In less than a year, the total number of modular
homes being delivered through this program is 2,064
in 22 communities.

Building on the success of this program and
significant interest from B.C. communities, the
Province has just launched the Building BC:
Supportive Housing Fund, part of Budget 2018, to
deliver an additional 2,500 new homes with 24/7
support services.